Cold start problems with 1987 honda accord

I have a 1987 honda accord that is giving me problems when starting in the morning. When i start it the engine idels real high and stays there until it warm up ? Any suggestions on why it may be doing that ?

I get the same issue, and in cold weather, it revs real low after starting and stalls.

Anybody know where i can find a diagram of the engine, so I know where and how to adjust the choke?I get the same issue, and in cold weather, it revs real low after starting and stalls.
Anybody know where i can find a diagram of the engine, so I know where and how to adjust the choke?

I just bought a 1987 Honda Accord Hatchback with 187,000 miles. It's got the 2 bl carb. Since the gentleman who sold me the car was so kind and warmed the car up for me, I did not know about the reving engine until the day after I bought it. My brother was shocked when I told him that the car was not smoking. Anyway, TominTulsa hit the nail on the head with the problem, but I would like to know if you also had difficulty with the gears shifting. It'll rev high even when warm and it doesn't want to shift. Also when I get it up to 55mph, it jumps (not realy a spit and sputter, just little jumps). My brother thinks it may be the oxygen sensor, but for $100 I want to be sure. I know I have to replace a CV Joint, but if the motor and transmission hold out, The $800 price tag will leave enough in my pocket to fix the rest. Any thoughts to help this old gal out? When I take to my repair guy I would like to at least sound like I know what I'm talking about. I just bought a 1987 Honda Accord Hatchback with 187,000 miles. It's got the 2 bl carb. Since the gentleman who sold me the car was so kind and warmed the car up for me, I did not know about the reving engine until the day after I bought it. My brother was shocked when I told him that the car was not smoking. Anyway, TominTulsa hit the nail on the head with the problem, but I would like to know if you also had difficulty with the gears shifting. It'll rev high even when warm and it doesn't want to shift. Also when I get it up to 55mph, it jumps (not realy a spit and sputter, just little jumps). My brother thinks it may be the oxygen sensor, but for $100 I want to be sure. I know I have to replace a CV Joint, but if the motor and transmission hold out, The $800 price tag will leave enough in my pocket to fix the rest. Any thoughts to help this old gal out? When I take to my repair guy I would like to at least sound like I know what I'm talking about.

3 Answers

I had the same problem with my carb on my '87 Accord LX. Worse yet, it would sometimes go into a high rev mode even when the motor was warm. While searching out the problem last summer (2007), I found bad diaphragm on the choke control valve. Although I found a replacement part online (70 bucks), I jury rigged the choke by disconnecting the diaphragm control arm from the choke butter fly, and wired the butterfly completely open (normal running position), and closing off the rubber vacuum tube. To date, I haven't replaced the choke diaphragm, drive it daily, and my city gas mileage has significantly improved. The only requirement is using rapid gas peddle movements while starting when cold (it was down to 10F here last winter), then keeping the revs around 1200 for a minute or so until the engine will run without peddle pressure. In warmer climes merely pressing the gas peddle once before starting.

If your tired of the gas guzzling hi revs, and want a simple, easy fix, give it a try

I just turned 250,000 miles, get 29mpg city, 39hiway, and both the engine, and the auto trans haven't been touched internally since the day they were installed in Japan 22 years ago. Changing the oil and filter every 3000 miles has certainly helped, but even so, everything still works like it did the day I bought it.

I wrote another comment related to this. I have had an 86 and now have an 87 accord. Both do that. I think it has to do with a bad thermowax valve, but you cant replace that indiv. Replacement carb in my area is about $450. I just live with it. It has never caused me a problem. I did adjust the choke and did a few other small things and it seemed to help.

Anonymous

Re: cold start problems with 1987 honda accord

I have an 87 accord manual carbureted with 200k miles on it and mine has done that ever since I got it. I've owned it for about four years now and the previous owner told me it happens. I have no idea what it means but the only problem I've ever had was when the alternator went out last summer (which I doubt is related but had similar symptoms).

Tell us some more! Your answer needs to include more details to help people.You can't post answers that contain an email address.Please enter a valid email address.The email address entered is already associated to an account.Login to postPlease use English characters only.

When is really cold, and vehicles with non electrical power steering start for the first time after a good period of inactivity the power steering pump tents to wine, that is normal, some other cars or almost all the cars when they pass 100.000 miles develop a little metallic noise that goes away when the oil pump distributes and lubricates all moving parts inside the engine when the car starts first thing in the morning in a really cold morning.

Timing belt ever been changed? Sure does sound like the problem. An old belt will snap on a cold start. Might want to look to see if the belt is tight and in place. These belts break regularly on Hondas with over 70,000 miles on them. Timing Belt change interval is 50,000.

The Part that is defective is one of 2. First is the Coolant Temp Sensor (Not knowing how much Fuel to give to the Engine) or the IAC (Idle Air Control Valve)... These are the 2 things that effect FUEL getting to the Cylinders to fire. Of course there are other things it could be (Low Fuel Pressure) caused by a air leak in the system or a few others but the first 2 is where I would have started...

move the distributor using a strobe light to check it ,and check the vacumn advance unit is working by sucking the little pipe on that runs from the adavance unit to the carb as if the diaphram is gone someone could have advanced the timing up si starts of a morning and pulls

These cars have a problem with the main relay. They quit working when they get hot. This explains why your car will start when it is cold. Check out some of the other posts about this problem, also the Honda Civic.